Lachlan passed away in January 2010. As a memorial, this site remains as he left it.Therefore the information on this site may not be current or accurate and should not be relied upon.
For more information follow this link

Text of Scanned Images of Advance Australia Fair

(Extract from - Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Fact Sheet 17)

(Thanks to Melanie Price for passing this fact sheet on)

Photograph of Peter Dodds McCormick, composer of Advance Australia Fair(image scanned by Jennifer Burgess as part of her research into the composer. Image relates to
the jubilee history of the Five Dock public school.
Peter Dodds McCormick taught there in 1865-66.)

"In 1901 the Australian colonies federated to become the Commonwealth of Australia.
As in Canada, the British monarch remains the monarch of Australia, which is now an
independent, democratic nation with a tradition of religious tolerance and free speech."

Note: "Fact sheets may be updated from time to time"

Australian all let us rejoice.
For we are young and free;
We've golden soil and wealth for toil;
Our home is girt by sea;
Our land abounds in nature's gifts
Of beauty rich and rare;
In history's page let every stage
Advance Australia Fair.
In joyful strains let us sing,
Advance Australia Fair.

Beneath our radiant Southern Cross.
We'll toil with hearts and hands;
To make this Commonwealth of ours
Renowned of all the lands;
For those who've come across the seas
We've boundless plains to share;
With courage let us all combine
To Advance Australia fair.
In joyful strains let us sing,
Advance Australia Fair.

Scanned Images of Advance Australia Fair

(Extract from - Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Fact Sheet 17)

"In 1901 the Australian colonies federated to become the Commonwealth of Australia.
As in Canada, the British monarch remains the monarch of Australia, which is now an
independent, democratic nation with a tradition of religious tolerance and free speech."

Note: "Fact sheets may be updated from time to time"

. .

Background information on the factsheet

'Advance Australia Fair' is the national anthem of Australia. A
revised version of a late nineteenth century patriotic song, it was
officially declared the national anthem on 19 April, 1984.

The composer

Peter Dodds McCormick. a Scot,
composed 'Advance Australia Fair'
under the pen-name 'Amicus'
(amicus is the Latin word for
Friend), it was first performed in
Sydney on Saint Andrew's Day,
1878. Peter McCormick died in 1916
and 'Advance Australia Fair'
became free of copyright in 1966.
W. J. Paling & Company, the
publishers of the song, described it
as 'one of the three greatest songs of
the British Empire'. The other two
were 'God Save the King' (or
'Queen'.) and 'God Defend New
Zealand'.

Some of the original words of the
song have been changed for the
official version. 'Australia's sons let
us rejoice' was the original First line;
this has been replaced with
'Australians all let us rejoice'. In the
third verse of the original song, two
lines were changed - 'To make our
youthful Commonwealth' became
'To make this Commonwealth of
ours' and 'For loyal sons beyond
the seas' became 'For those who've
come across the seas'.

How 'Advance Australia
Fair' became the national
anthem

Although the official anthem was
'God Save the Queen' (or 'King')
from 1788 to 1974, numerous
commercial and official
competitions were held over the
years to find a substitute. The first
was held in 1840.

John Duninore Lang, who
published an 'Australian Anthem'
and an 'Australian Hymn' in 1826,
was an early advocate of a
distinctively Australian anthem;
Carl Linger of South Australia
wrote 'The Song of Australia'
(1860),"which was suggested to the
then Prime Minister in 1929 as a
possible national anthem.

Among the competitions held were
one by The Bulletin, which attracted
74 entries, and two by the
Australian Broadcasting
Commission in 1943 and 1945. The
Commonwealth Jubilee celebrations
competition in 1951 was won by
Henry Krips with 'This Land of
Mine'.

The issue of a truly national anthem
was raised persistently before the
1956 Olympic Games, which were
held in Melbourne. 'Advance
Australia Fair' and 'Waltzing
Matilda' were the two songs most
strongly favoured then as the new
anthem. 'Waltzing Matilda' was
composed in 1895. with lyrics by
one of Australia's best known poets.
A. B. ('Banjo') Paterson.

On Australia Day. 26 January, in
1972, the number of entries (400)
received in an Australia-wide
national anthem quest gave an
indication of the interest in a new
anthem. Exactly a year later a
government-sponsored competition
was announced, which drew 2500
entries for the words and 1300 for
the music. The judges selected six
entries for the words, but rejected
all the musical entries.

The polls - and what followed

The quest for an Australian national
aithem continued. In a 1974 public
opinion poll, which sampled an
estimated 60 000 people, three
songs were offered for choice:
'Advance Australia Fair', 'Waltzing
Matilda' and 'Song of Australia'.
'Advance Australia Fair' polled 51.4
per cent. Following this result the
then Prime Minister, Gough
Whitlam, announced that 'Advance
Australia Fair' would be the
national anthem, except on
specifically Royal occasions, when
both it and 'God Save the Queen'
would be played.

In 1976, after a change of
government, 'God Save the Queen'
was reinstated for Royal, vice-regal.
defence and loyal! toast occasions,
with 'Advance Australia Fair' to be
played on all other official
occasions.

In May 1977. however, a national
poll was conducted to ascertain the
public choice oFa national song.
This time over 7 million people
were issued with ballot papers. The
results were: 'Advance Australia
Fair' 43.2 per cent. 'Waltzing
Matilda' 28.3 per cent. 'God Save
the Queen' 18.7 per cent and 'Song!
of Australia' 9.6 per cent.

In April 1984 the Governor-General
issued a proclamation declaring that
'God Save the Queen' was
designated the Royal Anthem, to be
played at public engagements in
Australia attended by the Queen or
members of the Royal family
'Advance Australia Fair' was
finally declared to be the national
anthem, and non-sexist words
adopted.

Usually 'God Save the Queen is
played at the start of Royal
functions and 'Advance Australia
Fair' at the end. Unless it is more
appropriate to play both anthems at
the start.

Duplicate of the Text and sheet music image taken from the DFAT (Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade) webpage on the Australian National Anthem : taken 7th June 2002

The Australian National Anthem

‘Advance Australia Fair’ is the national anthem of Australia. A revised version of a late nineteenth century patriotic song, it was
officially declared the national anthem on 19 April, 1984.

The composer

Peter Dodds McCormick, a Scot, composed ‘Advance Australia Fair’ under the pen-name ‘Amicus’ (amicus is the Latin word for friend). It
was first performed in Sydney on Saint Andrew’s Day, 1878. Peter McCormick died in 1916 and ‘Advance Australia Fair’ became free of
copyright in 1966.

W. J. Paling & Company, the publishers of the song, described it as ‘one of the three greatest songs of the British Empire’. The other
two were ‘God Save the King’ (or ‘Queen’) and ‘God Defend New Zealand’.

Some of the original words of the song have been changed for the official version. ‘Australia’s sons let us rejoice’ was the original first
line; this has been replaced with ‘Australians all let us rejoice’. In the third verse of the original song, two lines were changed—‘To
make our youthful Commonwealth’ became ‘To make this Commonwealth of ours’ and ‘For loyal sons beyond the seas’ became ‘For
those who’ve come across the seas’.

How ‘Advance Australia Fair’ became the national anthem

Although the official anthem was ‘God Save the Queen’ (or ‘King’) from 1788 to 1974, numerous commercial and official competitions
were held over the years to find a substitute. The first was held in 1840.

John Dunmore Lang, who published an ‘Australian Anthem’ and an ‘Australian Hymn’ in 1826, was an early advocate of a distinctively
Australian anthem; Carl Linger of South Australia wrote ‘The Song of Australia’ (1860), which was suggested to the then Prime Minister
in 1929 as a possible national anthem.

Among the competitions held were one by The Bulletin, which attracted 74 entries, and two by the Australian Broadcasting Commission
in 1943 and 1945. The Commonwealth Jubilee celebrations competition in 1951 was won by Henry Krips with ‘This Land of Mine’.

The issue of a truly national anthem was raised persistently before the 1956 Olympic Games, which were held in Melbourne. ‘Advance
Australia Fair’ and ‘Waltzing Matilda’ were the two songs most strongly favoured then as the new anthem. ‘Waltzing Matilda’ was
composed in 1895, with lyrics by one of Australia’s best known poets, A. B. (‘Banjo’) Paterson.

On Australia Day, 26 January, in 1972, the number of entries (400) received in an Australia-wide national anthem quest gave an
indication of the interest in a new anthem. Exactly a year later a government-sponsored competition was announced, which drew 2500
entries for the words and 1300 for the music. The judges selected six entries for the words, but rejected all the musical entries.

The polls - and what followed

The quest for an Australian national anthem continued. In a 1974 public opinion poll, which sampled an estimated 60 000 people, three
songs were offered for choice: ‘Advance Australia Fair’, ‘Waltzing Matilda’ and ‘Song of Australia’. ‘Advance Australia Fair’ polled 51.4 per
cent. Following this result the then Prime Minister, Gough Whitlam, announced that ‘Advance Australia Fair’ would be the national
anthem, except on specifically Royal occasions, when both it and ‘God Save the Queen’ would be played.

In 1976, after a change of government, ‘God Save the Queen’ was reinstated for Royal, vice-regal, defence and loyal toast occasions,
with ‘Advance Australia Fair’ to be played on all other official occasions.

In May 1977, however, a national poll was conducted to ascertain the public choice of a national song. This time over seven million
people were issued with ballot papers. The results were: ‘Advance Australia Fair’ 43.2 per cent, ‘Waltzing Matilda’ 28.3 per cent, ‘God
Save the Queen’ 18.7 per cent and ‘Song of Australia’ 9.6 per cent.

In April 1984 the Governor-General issued a proclamation declaring that ‘God Save the Queen’ was designated the Royal Anthem, to be
played at public engagements in Australia attended by the Queen or members of the Royal family. ‘Advance Australia Fair’ was finally
declared to be the national anthem, and non-sexist words adopted.

Usually ‘God Save the Queen’ is played at the start of Royal functions and ‘Advance Australia Fair’ at the end, unless it is more
appropriate to play both anthems at the start.

If you are feeling sociable, my new E-mail address is
[address now invalid] (replace the *at* with an @ ) . Old E-mail
addresses might be giving forwarding or reliability problems. Please
use clear titles in any Email - otherwise messages might accidentally
get put in the SPAM list due to large amount of junk Email being
received. So, if you don't get an expected reply to any messages, please
try again.